Valve-controlling mechanism



Feb. 7, 1928. 1,658,319

w. H. WINEMAN y VALVE CONTROLLING MECHANISM Filed Deo. 11, 1924 Patented Feb. 7, 1928.A

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFICE. D

WADE n. vrINnMANoF MICHIGAN Giri?, 1NDIANA, AssIGNoR fno SULLIVAN Mn-y CHINERY COMPANY, n CORPORATION"v oF MASSACHUSETTS.

VALVE-CONTROLLING MECHANISM.

Application filed December 11, 1924. ,Serial-No. 755,351.

This invention relates to a valve controlling mechanism. i i It has for its object V to provide an improved valve controlling mechanism. A il further object istof provide an improved cam `follower. In certain types of cams the same lare-shifted longitudinally along the aXisxa-boutwhich they rotate and have a cam surface angularlyndisposed to the longitudinal *,aXis thereof.V lhen said cam is shifted and while the follower remains in arelatively-iXed position on its supporting base,rvaried degrees of maximum movement of the valve will result. Sucha mechanism l5 is particularly adapted for steam engines to control the inlet valve, although itqwillA be readily understood that the saine is applicable to` any device where` cams are used. Y In a camas above described, the cam surface will at times be angularly disposed tothe path of movement of the valve actuating rod andV accordingly the contacting surface of lthe cani 'follower illust, in order to have :inadequate bearing surface thereon, be inclined according `tothe inclination oi' the contacted portion ofthe cam surface. As this. cam surface will continuously vary from a position which is Iparallel to the longitudinal axis of thecam to lan inclined po- 39 sitionrelative thereto,v it will be seen that the surface of the cam follower must also vary accordingly in orderto Vkeep a suilic-ient contact with the cam. Such an action will impart an oscillating 'movement' tothe follower; Itis anotherobject of the invention toprovide improvednneans :tor guiding the canriollower'during oscillation. The cam follower herein comprises ball bearing oli 1. the so called-seltalining type which has an 40 outer race adapted toswing about the cen ter oi' ktheinner race. More specifically, it is the objectjo the invention toV provide improved means to restrain theV outer race, f which constitutes the cam follower, yfrom i5 moving in a plane/Which` is disposed trans-A verse'lyv oi `the axis of ythe/,valve stem ybut which will permit saidlollower tol have. any other desired and necessary movements.

In the accompanyingv drawings I have f1@ shown forpurposes of ,illustration one form lwhich my invention .mayr assume in prac-A tice.-

'In `these drawings, f z.

Fig. 1'is a longitudinal section through-a cani follower support. Ji

valve mechanism showing the cam in end elevation. I f f Fig. 2 is an enlarged kfragmentary detail` ot 4the cam and follower mechanism,attachedl to the Nlower end4v of; thek ralvek stem taken on linef2-2 of Figi. Y, f f f .Eigis afsectionaljviewOnline 3-3of Fig. l

Fig. 4 is a perspective theiinproved F'g is a detailotthe cam;` .f i 'In the illustrative embodiment of my in,-

venti'on l` haveshown the same in connec` tion with a valve 1 vadapted tobe supported by usual valve stem 2 reciprocably guided by a ,hollow sleeve 3 carried yby a suitable housing fl. This housing could be a suitable portion of an engine if desired. Disposed on the end'oi saidhousing is aplateuhalv-` ,ing `an aperture 6 k,through which'the stem 2 passes into 4a chamber 7 yformed kby `Walls Smprojecting t from `the platey y5. Disposed within the chamber \7' and carried` by: a transverse wall;9 -fis`a hollow member. 10 adapted to receive a support 11 for-a cam follower generallyy indicated` at 12." 'More speciiicallyuthe member 11 oomprisesa hol-l e Asshown;injFigs.` 2 and 3, apin 17 extends i i through bosses 18 vformed oni the inner side of the,` member 15. `Disposed on rsa-id pin is arcani followerjlfwhich comprises hereinray ball bearing having an inner race 19. and anouter race 20, the centerof theradius of `.curvature of the outer'ball race'coinciding with the center of `the inner race Vmy. improved outer race supportygenerally indicated at 22 is Vdisposed on theotherside. ,In orderto appreciatethe advantagesof my.. improved support, it will be noted that the/router race `2() which` forms thecam fol`l lower is adaptedto cooperate with a cam `23 rotatable aboutk and longitudinally movable along the axis of a shaft 24. This cam has an inclined surface 25 formed eccentrically with respect to the shaft axis, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, and is adapted upon longitudinal movement to present varying degrees of cccentricity to the cam follower, thereby varying the amount of valve move ment. it will .be clear, however, that upon rotation of the cam, it' the follower is to have a maximum bearing surface thereon, the follower' must rotate about a transverse axis 'to a position as shown in Fig. 2. During rotation of the cam the follower will oscillate about the transverse axis due to the varying inclinations of the cam surface. Thus it will be seen that ifV some means is not provided the lollower will, during these 17 kand held in rigid relation with respect to' the .member l5 and the pin by means of a transversel pin 26. The follower support further has small bearing lugs 27 projecting parallel to the axis of the pin 17 and so positioned as to engage only the outer race 2O as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Thus it will be seen that during oscillation of the cam ollower the same will tend to pivot about the bearing lugs 27 and will thus be effectively held in operative relation to the inner race 191.

VVhile .I have herein shown only onel cam follower. support, it will of course be understood that two of the same could be used by disposing one on each side `of the'- cam tollower. The hearing lugs 27 if formed with rounded bearing surfaces could be slightly spaced from the bearing iny order to allow suiiicient oscillation thereof. It will of course be understood that any form of bearing surface on the lugs 27 could be used such as a knife edge, a sphere, a point, or the like.

While l have in this application specilically described one form which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this formv of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may he modied and Iembodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

lVhat l claim as new and desire to secure hy Letters Patent is:

1'. In combination, a rotary cam having a surface whose trace on a plane including the axis of rotation of said cam departs from a line parallel to said axis, a rotary cam follower adapted to engage said cam on rotation oipv said cam and means for pivotally mounting said cam follower for oscillation about an axis perpendicular to its axis of rotation, and guiding means wholly. independent ot said cam for engaging said rotary cam follower to prevent bodily movement thereof in a certain direction without interfering with rotation thereof.

2. ln combination, a rotary cam having a surit'ace whose trace on a plane including the axis of rotation of said cam departs from a line parallel to said axis, a ball bearing having the outer race forming a cam follower adapted to cooperate with said cam, and means separate from the balls of said bearing and wholly independent of said cam for gi'ii'ding the outer race.

3. ln combination, al rotary cam having asurface whose trace on a plane including the axis oi" rotation of said cam departs' from a line parallel to said axis, a roller engageable with said cam, a member to be actuated, means for supporting said yroller on said member )for oscillation on an axis substantially perpendicular to its axis of rotation,

and guiding mea-ns wholly independent of said cam for engaging the roller substantial-4 ly at its axis ot'oscillation'.

i. In combination, a cam, a roller engageable with said cam, a member to he actuated, and means lior pivotally supporting said roller on said member for tilting to a plurality of positions, the axis of rotation of s the roller in one position being angularly disposed with respect to the axis of rotation of the roller in another position, and guiding means independent or' saidv cam and engag-` ing said roller at a plurality of points ina line perpendicular to its pivotal axis and at opposite sides` thereof to prevent bodily movement thereof in a certain direction without interfering with rotation thereof.

5. in combination, an oscillatory rotatable cam follower, a longitudinally movable cam for actuating the same, andk means for engaging the side or" said follower permitting tilting oi'f the latter about an axis transverse to its axis of rotation, said engaging means being disposed on the side thereof in which said cam would subject the same to the greatest displacement force during longitudinal movement.

6. A guide for the outer race of a selfalining bearing of the type which comprises inner and outer races related inaV manner permitting angular change in the plane of one relative to that of the other, said support comprising journal' means for the outer race and auxiliary means for guiding said race to prevent bodily movement thereotl in a certain direction while permitting tilting thereof.

7. A guide tor the outer race of a selfalining ball bearing adapted to permit substantially Jfree rotation of the latter compris ing means for contacting said race laterallyy in a plane passing through the axis of said race.

CII

Lease-,311s Y 8. A guide for a self-alining ball bearing which comprises relatively stationary and freely rotatable races, said guide including means for engaging the freely ro# tatable race of said bearing at a lateral point about which the same may pivot.

9. A guide for a rotatable cam follower, said guide Comprising an element having a portion extending. radially With respeotvto the axis of rotation of said cam follower when said axis is parallel to the axis of movement of said cam, said element having means `providing a fnlcrum for said cam lfollower disposed for engaging the [side thereof.' i

10. A guide for rotatable cam follower, said guide Comprising members extending oppositely radially With respect to the axis of Said Cam follower when said axis is parallel to the axis of rotation of said cam, said members having bearing lugs disposed on the outer ends thereof to engage the side of the cam follower.

In'testimony whereof I affix my signature.

VADE H. WINEMAN. 

